Florida Versus Army Preview

Should everything go as planned, which you can never be sure if these days, the Gators will finally open their season on Wednesday with a game against Army.

Florida was initially supposed to start their season a week ago against UMass-Lowell before then battling Virginia in what was one of the most anticipated games of the young season. Sadly, a positive test with a Florida player and another with an assistant forced the games to be cancelled.

They were then supposed to head to Norman to play Oklahoma, but this time it was Florida’s opponent who had problems with positive tests. It was officially announced that the two programs “mutually agreed” to cancel the game, but days earlier it was announced that the Sooners had positive tests in their program. Additionally, it’s possible the Gators didn’t want to travel to Oklahoma and instead thought they’d be better off where they’re headed to now to play Army.

This game will take place at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut at an event called “Bubbleville.” Bubbleville was initially hosting 40 games over a two-week span (including the games Florida was going to play against UMass Lowell and Virginia) but that number is climbing rapidly. As teams go there and see the setup and protocols they are realizing how good of an environment it is for getting games in and many programs have scheduled more games since arriving there. It’s the place to be for college basketball right now and the Gators are getting a taste first with Army before then playing Boston College. Bubbleville is currently scheduled to end at the end of this week but with it being such a success so far there is a chance they choose to extend the event.

At least for now, the plan is for Florida to take on Army. If that’s not a team you’re used to seeing, well, that’s because Florida and Army have only played once before. It was way back in December of 1971 and the Gators were able to come away with an 80-71 win. With so many teams in college basketball from so many diverse programs it’s always fun for the Gators to play someone they rarely see and playing Army will be just that.

While it will be Florida’s opening game of the season, Army already has three games under their belt. They started with a healthy 93-32 win over US Merchant Marine before getting back to the D-I ranks with a decisive 79-57 win over Central Connecticut. After that their first real challenge of the season took place against Buffalo, a team that has been one of the most solid and consistent mid-major programs over the last decade. Buffalo was heavily favored but Army was able to sneak away with a 78-74 win and will bring a smooth 3-0 record into Bubbleville to play the Gators.

When you think of Army playing basketball you probably think of mature and physically tough young men playing structured, unselfish basketball and, well, that really is the case. Under coach Jimmy Allen Army plays a controlled, fundamental style of basketball that allows them to get the most out of their talent. Army is obviously dealing with a different recruiting base than just about any team in the country so they might not always land the best talent in recruiting but they have players that are bought in and play with intensity.

Their unselfishness is shown in a number of statistics. No one player averages more than 24 minutes per game, and four players (Lonnie Grayson, Josh Caldwell, Alex KIng, Kwebena Davis) have scored in double digits, and Grayson leads the way with only 14 points per game. They spread the offense around, something evidenced by the fact that six players are averaging over one and a half assists per game. Watching their offense they love to swing the ball side to side repeatedly looking for defenders to be a step slow where they will then look to attack with the drive. Often the drive isn’t going to result in a straight layup because off that drive other players are looking to cut before receiving the ball for an easy bucket. For Florida this will be a game to test their defensive communication abilities as Army will try to move them around and create openings and the Gators will need to stay disciplined in their help defense and identify cutters trying to capitalize on missed assignments.

Army also likes to play fast, something that Florida should be happy to see. They’ve taken 20% of their shots on the fast break so far and are always looking to score within the first 8 or 10 seconds if they can create a shot. Since the Gators are desperately trying to accelerate their pace of play they’ll be happy to go against a team that’s also looking to go fast and it could help the Gators find the speed they’re hoping for.

Part of the reason that Army chooses to play so fast is that traditionally they are undersized, and that’s the case again this year. Their most used lineup through three games has featured three players 6’2” and under with Jalen Rucker (5’10”), Lonnie Grayson (6’0”) and Josh Caldwell (6’2”) playing at the 1, 2, and 3 positions. When they go to the bench they don’t get much longer with Aaron Duhart (6’0”), Tucker Blackwell (6’2”) and Noah Jager (6’9”) rounding out their perimeter rotation. Florida will have decided length advantages at point guard and wing and they should be able to use that offensively when it comes to driving and finishing around the hoop as well as defensively when it comes to containing the ball and playing passing lanes.

Many teams that are undersized choose to play zones and communally pack the paint to protect shots close to the rim but not Army. For the last several seasons they’ve played strictly man to man defense and through three games they haven’t even played one second of zone. Sometimes in early season games playing against complicated zones or novelty junk defenses can make it tough for a team to get the rhythm but the Gators are in luck here. They should see exclusively man defense which will allow them to settle into their offense and hopefully click from the opening tip.

One player to be aware of defensively is Josh Caldwell who has a great knack for getting steals. He’s not a gambler, but someone who uses great timing and anticipation to pickpocket opponents. He’s often playing as an undersized small forward which means he faces players that aren’t necessarily as good of ball handlers as point guards or shooting guards and he’ll be looking to create turnovers against the Gators.

For the Gators this game will be all about limiting the nervous energy of a season opening game and settling in to their offense and defensive schemes as quickly as possible. The talent, size, and athleticism gap is large between Florida and Army and the Gators need to play within their structure and allow their rhythm and chemistry to come together. It shouldn’t be a difficult game for the Gators and watching for which players come in prepared and compete for minutes might be the biggest storyline.

Eric Fawcett
Eric is a basketball coach and writer from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. His work has been found at NBA international properties, ESPN, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Lindy's and others. He loves zone defenses, the extra pass, and a 30 second shot clock. Growing up in Canada, an American channel showing SEC basketball games was his first exposure to Gator hoops, and he has been hooked ever since. You can follow him on Twitter at @ericfawcett_.